Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan is told from the perspective of ten-year-old Anna as she and her younger brother Caleb await and meet the woman who answered the advertisement for a mail-order bride their father had placed. Set in 19th century American Prairie, the book is short and sweet, honest and compelling. I’ve read it at least four times over the years, and every time it holds up to rereads.
What I liked. Pioneer prairie romance! I have such a soft spot for pioneer romances. I think that Sarah, Plain and Tall (and the other lovely books in the series) belong right next to Laura Ingalls Wilder, for classic children’s historical novels with a gentle romance tucked into a great setting and wonderful characters. (And as I grew up, I loved watching Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman, reading Janette Oke and Lori Wick Christian romance novels. Even as an adult, I loved movies like Sweetland.)
What was interesting. Reading this book as a mother, the longing that Anna and Caleb had for their lost mother and for a new mother hit me as particularly poignant this time as I read it. A couple other things of note: first, I loved that in the beginning of the book, Patricia MacLachlan says that this book was inspired by an event in her own family history. Second, I just recently got one of Patricia MacLachlan’s children’s picture books, All The Places to Love, to read to Jackson. And while the stories (and even style) were different, there was this underlying love of nature, and deep family connection, and economy of words that were the same. It makes me want to read everything she’s written.
What were some limitations. I cannot think one. If there weren’t sequels, I’d complain it was too short. But since the story picks up in the next books, I think this is just such a perfect little book.
Similarity to other Newbery winners. In terms of historical setting, it reminds me most of Caddy Woodlawn and Invincible Louisa — 19th century American frontier setting. Up A Road Slowly and A Gathering of Days both have young female narrators who have widowed fathers remarry, although those are not the main storylines.
What it teaches me as a writer. This book is amazingly short. It’s less than 60 pages / 9000 words. It takes about 40 minutes to read or an hour to listen to the audio book version. I am in such awe of Patrica MacLachlan’s ability to tell a story so succinctly, with such a depth of emotion and conflict and resolution. When I think of other authors who have a similar ability to tell a good story in not many words, like C.S. Lewis or Kate DiCamillo, for example, they are writing books 4 or 5 times as long. As I revise my own (not short!) work, I want to remember this power of condensing and concentrating a story into such a rich little treasure like Sarah, Plain and Tall.
Have you read Sarah, Plain and Tall? What are your favorite books set on the 19th century American Prairie ?
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